Class 8 Glider Kits (ever seen one?)

[mwilson]

Have any of you seen these being towed backwards up the road by a another truck and wondered what they were????

 

[mwilson]

Well, they are called a "Glider Kit" and are gaining favor with small and large truck fleets.



The kits are sold by Daimler in three configuations,



1) New dressed cab, frame, front axle, radiator, fuel tanks etc.

These are designed to accept an engine, transmission and rear axles from a similar donor vehicle.



2) A "Roller" kit. This includes everything above plus Reman rear axles and suspension in place. Designed to accept a donor motor and transmission.



3) A "Powered Glider". This includes everything from number 1) plus has a Reman engine installed at the factory. Currently Cat, Cummins and Detroit Diesel engines are offered. The transmission and rear axles are from a donor vehicle. This is what we have been selling, 15 of them so far this year.

 

[mwilson]

The gliders we sell come with a Reman engine, completely new cab and frame. All external accessories are new as well. They are ordered so as to match the specs of a donor truck so the driveshafts and all other incidentals fit as they should.

Frame is drilled at the proper locations for all bolts, crossmembers are in place. The box you see strapped to the frame contains all the hardware including 4 new rear springs for the suspension. The steel frame setting on top of the wooden crate is the skid used to return the donor engine for core credit.

 

[mwilson]

Why do they do it you ask???



You get a pretty new truck for less money.



You don't have to pay F. E. T. as long as 2 components from the donor truck are used over, Engine and transmission, transmission and rear drive axles, etc.



Emissions level for the new powered glider will match the donor engine. Currently '98 emissions and '04 emissions level engines are available.

That means no EGR, DPF, DEF or any of those other nasty 3 letter things.



Buying the glider powered is the way to go as the electronics of the engine are already mated and matched to the glider. No wiring issues, it's all done for you. Engine is full of oil, antifreeze, even the power steering is full and ready to go.

 

[NIsaacs]

Yes, I had two of them at one time. I didn't get to build them but they are a good alternative to a new truck. One was a '76 IHC built from a 72 wreck, the other one was an '83 Pete, built from an older Pete, not sure of the year but it has a small cam so it was from a '77 or earlier. Both good trucks.



Nick

 

[HBarlow]

Mike,

If the powered glider with engine is ordered is it a true factory reman engine? How about transmissions and differentials? Factory reman or some sub contractor rebuilder?

 

[mwilson]

Cab interior is dressed as well, there is one hole in the dash as the ProDriver Display units were out of stock at the plant when these were built, I have the head units they sent later stored in my office until needed.

Hole is in the floorboard for the shift lever, that is in the wooden crate along with rest of the small parts.



Thought you guys might find this interesting, the concept is really pretty slick.



Mike.

 

[jgillott]

I have a good friend that owns a trucking company locally. Almost all of their recent truck purchases have been Glider kits using their powertrains from retired/damaged tractors from their fleet. They have been buying them as bare Gliders and using their complete powertrain when possible. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think they are coming together under 100K and offer the benefits of the lower overall operating costs of the old trucks.



I've had the pleasure of driving a few of the new ones he's received and you would never know that they were not "new" tractors. I believe he sources his somewhere in TN but I'm not 100% sure.

 

[mwilson]

Mike,



If the powered glider with engine is ordered is it a true factory reman engine? How about transmissions and differentials? Factory reman or some sub contractor rebuilder?

True OEM Reman items.

Power units are Detroit Diesel Reliabilt, Cummins ReCon or Cat Reman.

Transmissions are Eaton/Fuller reman units

Drive axles are Meritor or Eaton rebuilt.



They all carry the reman warranty offered by the respective remanufacturer, for example the Detroit engine in this one has a 2 year warranty on the engine, 3 years on the injectors. Honored at any Detroit Diesel / Daimler Truck North America dealer.

 

[mwilson]

I have a good friend that owns a trucking company locally. Almost all of their recent truck purchases have been Glider kits using their powertrains from retired/damaged tractors from their fleet. They have been buying them as bare Gliders and using their complete powertrain when possible. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think they are coming together under 100K and offer the benefits of the lower overall operating costs of the old trucks.



I've had the pleasure of driving a few of the new ones he's received and you would never know that they were not "new" tractors. I believe he sources his somewhere in TN but I'm not 100% sure.

If the glider is ordered per serial number to match it's donor truck the process is pretty straight forward.

Yes, they should be coming in, getting assembled and hitting the road for under $100,000 easy.



Mike.

 

[Nyoest]

How much do you have to pay for the seatbelt auto steer?

These are the only kind of truck that will will sold in three or four years due to the sillyness of current engines.

 

[Bill Stockard]

Have any of you seen these being towed backwards up the road by a another truck and wondered what they were????

Yep, I know what they are... I sold a bunch of them during my 20+ year sales career with International. An excellent way to renew a truck "tired" cab/body that has a good powertrain. Also, the best, least expensive way to repair a wreck that didn't damage the powertrain.



Many old COEs were made into conventionals with a glider kit. After the conversion, one would never know the it came from an old tired cab over.



Bill

 

[mwilson]

The only negative that I have heard lately is getting enough insurance on the unit.



Word is a guy built one, insured it as a new 2010 truck or whatever and then wrecked it.



As far as the insurance agency is concerned a glider is not a new truck so he took a bath on the claim.



I would have a talk with my agent before buying and building one up just to make sure they knew and I knew exactly how much coverage was available.



Also to make sure I was not upside down in the thing as far as value goes.



Mike.

 

[HBarlow]

Saving FET would alone make a glider kit "new" tractor a bargain wouldn't it?

 

[mweiman]

If anyone knows where to get a class 3 glider kit I'm in. It sure would be nice to be able to kit my 93 pickup. Local Freightliner dealer has been putting together kits to sell left and right. Several fleets locally are also.

 

[mwilson]

Saving FET would alone make a glider kit "new" tractor a bargain wouldn't it?

It is as far as I am concerned.



I would want to know there the donor parts came from and see the repair history so that I didn't wind up owning a Fuller transmission and a set of Meritor rears that had 1,000,000 plus untouched miles on them...



Mike.

 

[mwilson]

If anyone knows where to get a class 3 glider kit I'm in. It sure would be nice to be able to kit my 93 pickup. Local Freightliner dealer has been putting together kits to sell left and right. Several fleets locally are also.

Don't think that I have not spent many hours fantasizing about a 2012 Dodge Ram Glider that I could stuff my '06 5. 9 into... .



The trouble is mating the engine to the truck electronically for one thing.



They could offer a Cab and Body kit with some thought that would accept an older trucks wiring and would mate with existing frame mounts for example.

But automotive people don't think like that. Could they ever change???



I do think Ram needs to start thinking out of the box a little and offer cheaper replacement parts in the way of seat parts, floor coverings, etc. , they offer a truck that is fully capable of 500,000 miles at least but want to pull your pants down for a replacement seat cover/cushion that only lasts for 150,000 miles or so.



As Bill Stockard said in a post regarding Dodge Dealer parts pricing, the Truck OEM's and Dealers learned to adapt and change a while back.



The automotive field needs to do the same.



Mike.

 

[Dl5treez]

These were all the rage back in the 70's and 80's... ... started to fall out of favor with the more complicated rules regarding emissions, title build dates, etc.

Nice to see Daimler bringing them back to the forefront.

 

[mwilson]

We have just received a Western Star Roller Glider.

It is in the shop now, will see if I can get some shots of it later on.



Has a 2-speed transfer case in it and for you truck guys, it has 1760 series joints in the thru shaft driveline instead of 1710 series. It is built beefy back there.



We have a Reman 600 Cat ready to plant in there.



Mike.

 

[mwilson]

How would you like to have this puppy under the ole' hood???